Tup's Indispensable Fly

About the Tup's Indispensable Trout Fly

Tup's Indispensable was created in 1900 by R S Austin since when this excellent pattern has become an indispensable fixture in fly boxes world wide.

It is a good pattern when pale midges or mayflies are on the water. It also represents light coloured mayfly, the pale watery or small spur wing female spinners.

It works equally well on gentle waters and on the rough and tumble of mountain streams.

Expert Tip:

G E M Skues christened the pattern "Tup's" on learning the secret of the dressing from R S Austin.

Creator of this trout fly: R S Austin

Tier of this trout fly: Mandy Shelvey

Country of origin for this trout fly: England

This trout fly is designed to be fished on Rivers & Streams

Pattern Dressings

• Hook : 10-16.
• Thread : Yellow silk.
• Tail : Honey dun or bright blue spade feather hackle fibre.
• Body : A dubbing mixture of ram's wool, cream coloured seal's fur, lemon spaniel's fur and a few pinches of yellow mohair.
• Hackle : Honey dun cock hackle.

The ram's wool that was originally used came from the scrotum region of the tup, another name for a ram. Nowadays a special tup's dyed wool or seal's fur is used as an alternative. Another dressing suggested by Austin and Skues is to use a blue hackle of a lighter colour that is freckled thickly with gold.